Rivers in India, Check Their Origins, Length & Tributaries

Rivers in India

As we all know that many Defence Exams are going to be conducted in upcoming year. Candidates are searching for all the important relevant GK information available on the internet. Here we are providing you with the complete list of rivers with their lengths, origins, and tributaries for BSF, CISF, CDS, Territorial Army, etc.

Rivers in India

Most of the rivers pass through India and discharge their waters into the Bay of Bengal and very few flow through the western part of the country and fall into the Arabian Sea. Some parts of India is also consisted of inland drainage like in northern parts of the Aravalli range, some parts of Ladakh, and also the arid regions of the Thar Desert. Origination of most of the major rivers of India is one of the three main watersheds given below –

• The Himalaya and the Karakoram range
• The Chota Nagpur plateau and Vindhya and Satpura range
• The Western Ghats

Indian River System

Let’s understand some major River Systems with the help of a table containing information about their length –

Indus River System

The Indus originates in the northern slopes of the Kailash range in Tibet near Lake Mansarovar.

• It follows a north-westerly course through Tibet.
• It has a large number of tributaries in both India and Pakistan and has a total length of about 2897 km from the source to the point near Karachi where it falls into the Arabian Sea out of which approx 700km lies in India.
• It enters the Indian Territory in Jammu and Kashmir where it forms a picturesque gorge.
• In the Kashmir region, it joins with many tributaries – the Zaskar, the Shyok, the Nubra and the Hunza.
• It flows through the regions of Ladakh, Baltistan and Gilgit and runs between the Ladakh Range and the Zaskar Range at Leh.
• It crosses the Himalayas through a 5181 m deep gorge near Attock, which is lying north of Nanga Parbat.
• The major tributaries of the Indus River in India are Jhelum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas, and Sutlej.

Brahmaputra River System

The Brahmaputra originates from Mansarovar Lake, which is also a source of the Indus and Sutlej.

• It is 3848 km long, a little longer than the Indus River.
• Most of its course lies outside India.
• It flows parallel to the Himalayas in the eastward direction. When it reaches Namcha Barwa, it takes a U-turn around it and enters India in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The undercutting done by this river is of the order of 5500 metres.
• Here it is known as the Dihang River. In India, it flows through the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and is connected by several tributaries.
• The Brahmaputra has a braided channel throughout most of its length in Assam.

The river is known as the Tsangpo in Tibet. It receives less volume of water and has less silt in the Tibet region. But in India, the river passes through a region of heavy precipitation, and as such, the river carries large amounts of water during rainfall and a significant amount of silt. It is considered one of the largest rivers in India in terms of volume. It is known for creating calamities in Assam and Bangladesh.

You can also check the Complete List of Static General Knowledge

Ganga River System

The Ganga originates as the Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glacier.

• Before it reaches Devprayag in the Garhwal Division, the Mandakini, Pindar, Dhauliganga and Bishenganga rivers merge into the Alaknanda and the Bheling drain into the Bhagirathi.
• The Pindar River rises from East Trishul and Nanda Devi unites with the Alaknanda at Karan Prayag. The Mandakini meets at Rudraprayag.
• The water from both Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda flows in the name of the Ganga at Devprayag.

The concept of Panch Prayag

1. Vishnuprayag: where the river Alaknanda meets river Dhauli Ganga
2. Nandprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Nandakini
3. Karnaprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Pinder
4. Rudraprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
5. Devprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Bhagirathi -GANGA

The principal tributaries of the Ganga are Yamuna, Damodar, Sapta Kosi, Ram Ganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, and Son. The river after travelling a distance of 2525 km from its source meets the Bay of Bengal.

Yamuna River System

The Yamuna River is the largest tributary of the Ganga River.

• It originates from the Yamunotri glacier, at the Bandarpoonch peak in Uttarakhand.
• The main tributaries joining the river include the Sin, Hindon, Betwa Ken, and Chambal.
• The Tons is the largest tributary of the Yamuna.
• The catchment of the river extends to the states of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Narmada River System

The Narmada is a river located in central India.

• It rises to the summit of the Amarkantak Hill in Madhya Pradesh state.
• It outlines the traditional frontier between North India and South India.
• It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India. Only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahi rivers run from east to west.
• The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• It drains into the Arabian Sea in the Bharuch district of Gujarat.

Tapi River System

Tapi River is a central Indian river. It is one of the most important rivers of peninsular India with the run from east to west.

• It originates in the Eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state.
• It flows in a westward direction, draining some important historic places like Madhya Pradesh’s Nimar region, East Vidarbha region and Maharashtra’s Khandesh in the northwest corner of the Deccan Plateau and South Gujarat before draining into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea.
• The River Basin of Tapi River lies mostly in eastern and northern districts Maharashtra state.
• The river also covers some districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat as well.
• The principal tributaries of Tapi River are Waghur River, Aner River, Girna River, Purna River, Panzara River and Bori River.

Godavari River System

The Godavari River is the second-longest course in India with brownish water which is about 1,450 km (900 miles) in length.

• The river is often referred to as the Dakshin (South) Ganga or Vriddh (Old) Ganga.
• It is a seasonal river, dried during the summers, and widens during the monsoons.
• This river originates from Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik in Maharashtra.
• It flows southeast across south-central India through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa, and drains into the Bay of Bengal.
• The river splits into two streams thus forming a very fertile delta at Rajahmundry.
• The banks of this river have many pilgrimage sites, Nasik(MH), Bhadrachalam(TS), and Trimbak.
• Some of its tributaries include Pranahita (A combination of Penuganga and Warda), Indravati River, Bindusara, Sabari, and Manjira.
• Asia’s largest rail-cum-road bridge which is an engineering feat, links Kovvur and Rajahmundry is located on the river Godavari.

Krishna River System

Krishna is one of the longest rivers in India which is about 1300 km in length.

• It originates from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
• It flows through Sangli and meets the sea in the Bay of Bengal.
• The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Tungabhadra River is the main tributary which itself is formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers that originate in the Western Ghats.
• Dudhganga Rivers, Koyna, Bhima, Mallaprabha, Dindi, Ghataprabha, Warna, Yerla, and Musi are some of the other tributaries.

Cauvery River System

The Kaveri (also spelt Cauvery or Kavery) is one of the great rivers of India and is considered sacred by the Hindus.

• It originates from Talakaveri of Tamil Nadu, located in the Western Ghats about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level.
• The Kaveri is also known as Dakshin Ganga.
• It is a famous pilgrimage and tourist place in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.
• The headwaters of the river are in the Western Ghats range of Karnataka state, and from Karnataka through Tamil Nadu.
• The river drains into the Bay of Bengal. The river supports irrigation for agriculture and is considered as a means of support of the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.
• The river has many tributaries called Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Shimsha, Honnuhole, Amaravati, Lakshmana Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani, Noyyal, and Tirtha.

Mahanadi River System

The Mahanadi is a river in eastern India. The Mahanadi rises in the Satpura Range of central India and flows east to the Bay of Bengal.

• The Mahanadi drains most of the state of Chhattisgarh and much of Orissa and also Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
  Near the city of Sambalpur, a large dam – the Hirakud Dam – is built on the river.
• The Mahanadi rises in the Satpura Range of central India and It has a length of around 860 km.
• It flows east to the Bay of Bengal. The river drains in the state of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa.
• The largest dam, the Hirakud Dam is built on the river.

Rivers in India, Their Lengths, Origins and Tributaries

The following list shows the names of rivers in India with their lengths, origins, and tributaries.

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Rivers of India Names with States

From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the fertile plains of the Indo-Gangetic basin, and the lush coastal regions, the rivers of India are the lifeblood of the nation, providing sustenance, livelihood, and a sense of belonging to the millions who call this land home. Check the State-wise list of Indian Rivers below  –

Longest Rivers of India

Given below is the list of the longest rivers in India along with their length –